title: [Iron and sports].
abstract: We review normal iron metabolism and iron deficiency in athletes with and without anemia, and possible causal relationships. Hard physical training, such as medium and long distance running, appears to promote negative iron balance, with and without fall in hemoglobin concentration. A normally varied diet is suggested as adequate to meet the iron requirements in male athletes. Iron supplementation is not recommended unless blood/serum concentration of hemoglobin, ferritin, iron and transferrin are measured and the results indicate a state of iron deficiency. However, female athletes should consider iron supplementation, since loss of iron is higher in women than in men.
authors.affiliation: Flymedisinsk institutt, Blindern, Oslo.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Myhre
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borch-Iohnsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013177:Sports
chemical_list: D007501:Iron
vernacular_title: Jern og idrett.